BY2K Membero Americo The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 5,044 Québec, Canada Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World — Part 1 - News - Nintendo Official Site This article has been translated from the original Japanese content. This interview was conducted before the game was released. In this 18th volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which developers convey in their own words Nintendo's th… www.nintendo.com - World's development started in late 2017 after ARMS was complete. - Started as a Switch 1 game before being moved to Switch 2 in 2020 after work on the Booster Course Pass for 8 Deluxe started to not compromise on the game's ambitions. - Would have been called Mario Kart 9 if the game was simply a follow-up to 8 Deluxe with new tracks. - Soundtrack uses more live instruments this time around. - The soundtracks includes 200 tracks, "all brand-new arrangements". - One day cycle is 24 minutes of in-game time. - Rail and Wall Riding was added to make driving between tracks less boring. - 100 tracks in the game if you count all the variable path between tracks. - Karts can be customized with stickers you find in Free Roam.   Last edited: Today at 9:57 AM Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,490 Houston, TX I guess the MK9 part was before Tour became a finalized thing. Still, makes sense that such an ambitious game took so long. Also, EPD 9 specified Late 2017 for the start of development (after ARMS's DLC was finished). EDIT: Or not, Tour was released in 2018.  Last edited: Today at 9:57 AM mrmickfran The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 33,200 Gongaga The soundtracks includes 200 tracks, "all brand-new arrangements". Click to expand... Click to shrink... Music to my ears (literally)  Finiri6143 Member Mar 16, 2022 3,251 Neoxon said: I guess the MK9 part was before Tour became a finalized thing. Still, makes sense that such an ambitious game took so long. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You think it would have been call MK10 in the current climate otherwise if they stuck to the traditional game formula? I don't think so.   Bear Member Oct 25, 2017 12,305 Would not have guessed that this has been in the oven longer than GTA6 lol.   Kevers The Fallen Oct 29, 2017 15,882 Syracuse, NY 8 Years in Dev? Goddamn.   Shoichi Member Jan 10, 2018 12,476 Hopefully they allow players to change what music is selected in the jukebox, guessing it's just an automatic selection So, what did you do with the music for modes like Free Roam, where the route isn't fixed? For other modes like Free Roam, we prepared lots of music in addition to course themes and made it so the game would automatically select the right track depending on the situation. During development, we called this the "jukebox." For this, we created lots of arrangements of music composed for past Asahi:Super Mario™ and Mario Kart games. You're not only rearranging the music but also revamping the mechanism for how the music is selected and played, right? You said you created a lot of musical tracks, but how many pieces did you end up with? Altogether, over 200 for the "jukebox." These are all brand-new arrangements, and we also did live recordings. We prepared pieces from quite a wide variety of musical genres. I believe those who are well-versed in video game music, as well as those who aren't, will enjoy listening to them. Asahi: Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Bucca Banned Oct 25, 2017 5,529 Started in 2017? Christ alive they've been simmering this for a while   ned_ballad One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 50,558 Rochester, New York lol one dev just drew a cow in a truck as a silly thing and they ended up loving it so much they added the cow as a character   NINTENDOTHEGOAT Member Mar 3, 2025 7 Can't wait easily my most anticipated game this year along with Donkey kong bananza.   Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,490 Houston, TX Bucca said: Started in 2017? Christ alive they've been simmering this for a while Click to expand... Click to shrink... They seem to have gotten straight to work after Dr. Coyle released for ARMS.   cw_sasuke Member Oct 27, 2017 29,988 Damn, they been cooking for a while.   DNAbro Member Oct 25, 2017 30,050 Here are the full quotes So, the various courses are interconnected. Could you tell us how development for this game got started?: We were thinking about what to do for the next YabukiMario Kart game even during the development of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and we began prototyping in March 2017. It was at the end of that year when we officially started work on it as a project. I felt that in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, we were able to perfect the formula that we'd been following in the series up to that point, where players race on individual courses. That's why, this time, we wanted the gameplay to involve players driving around a large world, and we began creating a world map like this. When did you decide to move development of this game to Nintendo Switch 2? Yabuki-san first brought it up around 2020. Back then, we already had an idea of the next system's expected specs, but it wasn't until a bit later that we actually received working development units. Until then, we just had to proceed with development based on provisional estimates. Sato: This game has been in development for over 8 years which is insane. If people are wondering why we didn't get an original Mario Kart for Switch 1, we now know they tried.  ResidentDoom Member Sep 13, 2024 147 8 years seems excessive tbh It better deliver  finally Member Jul 22, 2019 1,537 $10 for each year in development   Finiri6143 Member Mar 16, 2022 3,251 ResidentDoom said: 8 years seems excessive tbh It better deliver Click to expand... Click to shrink... The chances of it not delivering is extremely low to be honest.   Mr. Lemming Member Oct 25, 2017 643 ned_ballad said: lol one dev just drew a cow in a truck as a silly thing and they ended up loving it so much they added the cow as a character Click to expand... Click to shrink... "Ishikawa: Cow is actually a pivotal character in the Mario Kart series. "  mavericktopgun Member Oct 27, 2017 5,447 Can't wait to play this damn game!!!!   Aleh Member Oct 27, 2017 20,093 Thank FUCK they didn't do another MK on Switch.   RailWays One Winged Slayer Avenger Oct 25, 2017 18,327 BY2K said: - Soundtrack uses more live instruments this time around. - The soundtracks includes 200 tracks, "all brand-new arrangements". Click to expand... Click to shrink... I know this OST is about to be peak   Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 124,059 2017? Goddamn   Jaded Alyx Editor-in-chief at SpecialCancel.com Verified Oct 25, 2017 40,219 The Duskbloods also started dev for the Switch   JoJo'sDentCo Unshakable Resolve Member Oct 25, 2017 9,277 ResidentDoom said: 8 years seems excessive tbh It better deliver Click to expand... Click to shrink... lol it will   Stairouais One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 3,047 France mrmickfran said: Music to my ears (literally) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Can't wait to have 15 of them on Nintendo music app  Zonic Member Oct 25, 2017 37,022 TWO HUNDRED SONGS?! If this is on par with the quality of MK8/D's soundtrack, this is gonna be OST of the year easily.  Truno Member Jan 16, 2020 5,735 ResidentDoom said: 8 years seems excessive tbh It better deliver Click to expand... Click to shrink... 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues  Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,336 8 years of development, $80. That's how that works right? Super excited, it's crazy how long they had us on MK8  Bucca Banned Oct 25, 2017 5,529 Mr. Lemming said: "Ishikawa: Cow is actually a pivotal character in the Mario Kart series. " Click to expand... Click to shrink... They've been there when we needed them the most. Chilling in Moo Moo Meadows.   Hollywood Duo Member Oct 25, 2017 55,009 Well considering 8 was a Wii U game they've been holding this back for fucking ever   luminosity "This guy are sick" Member Oct 30, 2017 1,673 No wonder they want to recoup the money.   Finiri6143 Member Mar 16, 2022 3,251 Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... No it doesn't.   Jahranimo Community Resettler Member Oct 25, 2017 10,267 I can believe it, that world looks incredibly expansive and different from anything the MK Team has done before.   BaconHat One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 6,577 ned_ballad said: lol one dev just drew a cow in a truck as a silly thing and they ended up loving it so much they added the cow as a character Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well, that's a new profile pic right here!   NotLiquid One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 37,874 ResidentDoom said: 8 years seems excessive tbh It better deliver Click to expand... Click to shrink... Nintendo is pretty noted for having very long project incubation and ideation phases. Another recent example of that was Mario Wonder where they said they worked with a no deadlines approach. Obviously the EPD group worked on other stuff during that time like as well like Tour and the Booster Course expansions so it's unlikely it was an all-hands-on-deck type development schedule when they say they started in 2017.  ZeoVGM Member Oct 25, 2017 84,753 Providence, RI Neoxon said: I guess the MK9 part was before Tour became a finalized thing. Still, makes sense that such an ambitious game took so long. Click to expand... Click to shrink... lol no, it would have been called MK9 because it is MK9. Tour was announced in January 2018. This quote should actually put an end to that silly MK9 debate.  Geg Member Oct 25, 2017 6,606 ned_ballad said: lol one dev just drew a cow in a truck as a silly thing and they ended up loving it so much they added the cow as a character Click to expand... Click to shrink... Not only that, it's what also gave them the idea to add all the other weird creatures as drivers. Truly a pivotal moment in development lol   Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,490 Houston, TX ZeoVGM said: lol no, it would have been called MK9 because it is MK9. Tour was announced in January 2018. This quote should actually put an end to that silly MK9 debate. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Then yeah, that answers it.   Lee Morris Member Oct 28, 2017 3,894 I doubt they have been seriously developing on it for the last few years. I imagine the bulk of the team have moved onto the next game. I was only thinking about the music this morning. 200 tracks means it shouldn't feel too repetitive. Can't wait  Lukar Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth Member Oct 27, 2017 28,242 BY2K said: - Soundtrack uses more live instruments this time around. - The soundtracks includes 200 tracks, "all brand-new arrangements". Click to expand... Click to shrink... Nintendo Music App please come in clutch in two weeks 🙏   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,562 Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... It doesn't. They were prototyping in 2017 and tried to make the game work on the first Switch, but it didn't so they moved to the successor.   RPG_Fanatic Member Oct 25, 2017 4,805 ned_ballad said: lol one dev just drew a cow in a truck as a silly thing and they ended up loving it so much they added the cow as a character Click to expand... Click to shrink... Now I want this picture to be plastered on a random billboard in Mario kart World.   Lightsong Member Nov 11, 2022 9,416 Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... The issue was the Switch being too weak, lol. They pushed it to Switch 2. It's in the article. No need for concern trolling.   RandomlyRandom67 Member Jul 7, 2023 2,660 $80 price tag makes sense now!   PucePikmin Member Apr 26, 2018 5,355 Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... Don't know about that. They had to re-focus and re-scope the game for Switch 2 midway through, which would have added more work. Then, once it was clear MKW was going to be the big Switch 2 launch game, its release got pushed back as the release of Switch 2 also got pushed back. They probably could have released some version of their original vision on the Switch 1 in a lot less than 8 years.  AuthenticM Son Altesse Sérénissime The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 35,157 Hopefully they have since learned that the next Mario Kart should be a launch title for the next system.   poptire Avatar Wrecking Crew The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 15,505 I am so happy you can customize the karts with stickers I don't know why   Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,490 Houston, TX Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, & they very clearly stated what it was: The Switch 1's hardware limitations   cw_sasuke Member Oct 27, 2017 29,988 Open World Mario Kart on Switch 1 would probably have had a hard time looking as good and perform as well as MK8D, so they just developed it for Switch 2. It makes sense. Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... Or no/less crunch while being more experimental and having much more content Day 1 than past titles.   Shoichi Member Jan 10, 2018 12,476 Truno said: 8 years is not a good thing. It points to development issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... They pushed development to the Switch 2, so it then became a result of when the systems release date was going to be instead   Lotus One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 124,059 Geg said: Not only that, it's what also gave them the idea to add all the other weird creatures as drivers. Truly a pivotal moment in development lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... I love that the Cow wasn't just a meme everyone glomped on, but that even the devs singled it out